Comforting
by TheCheesinator
Summary: Equikat ficlet based off this prompt: "i work at a movie theatre and i'm cleaning up after the movie is over and you're the only person left because you're ugly crying with popcorn over your lap" AU


ul style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 22px; background: #f2ede1;"  
>li dir="ltr" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background: transparent;"<br>p dir="ltr" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background: transparent;"span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background: transparent;" Equius checked the time, waiting for the 3:30 movie to end. Straightening their shiny red vest, they sighed heavily and grabbed what they needed from behind the counter. They really didn't want to have to clean up, as that wasn't their normal job, but Nepeta was gone and Eridan flat-out refused to touch a broom. So here Equius was, feeling vaguely self-conscious and walking towards theater three holding a broom and dustpan. /span/p  
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>li dir="ltr" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background: transparent;"<br>p dir="ltr" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background: transparent;"span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background: transparent;" As they entered, they glanced up at the panel showing the movie's title. It was some romance flick, and they figured not many people had attended, since it wasn't really a big name. But as they walked into the main theater, they noticed a small figure sitting near the back, sobbing into their hands. Equius stopped in their tracks, not knowing what to do. It seemed insensitive to clean around the person, but they probably didn't want anyone talking to them mid-cry. They opted for awkward conversation./span/p  
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>li dir="ltr" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background: transparent;"<br>p dir="ltr" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background: transparent;"span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background: transparent;" "Um, sir? You really cannot be in here anymore. The film ended ten minutes ago, and I must clean up," Equius managed to get out. The figure raised their head, and Equius immediately recognized Karkat from his job at the Coldstone Icecream place attached to the movie theater./span/p  
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>li dir="ltr" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background: transparent;"<br>p dir="ltr" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background: transparent;"span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background: transparent;" "Karkat?" Equius said incredulously./span/p  
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>li dir="ltr" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background: transparent;"<br>p dir="ltr" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background: transparent;"span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background: transparent;" "Ugh. This is fucking awkward," Karkat muttered, tears still streaming down his face, which was now bright red./span/p  
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>li dir="ltr" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background: transparent;"<br>p dir="ltr" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background: transparent;"span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background: transparent;" "Are you alright? You seem distressed," Equius observed, starting to sweat./span/p  
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>li dir="ltr" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background: transparent;"<br>p dir="ltr" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background: transparent;"span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background: transparent;" "I am distressed, dammit, that movie was really fucking sad!" Karkat grumped, beginning to cry again. Equius paled, slightly panicked. They went over to sit next to Karkat and put a comforting hand on his shoulder. The fact that Karkat didn't move away was a testament to how upset he was. Karkat started crying harder at the sympathy and moved closer to Equius./span/p  
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>li dir="ltr" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background: transparent;"<br>p dir="ltr" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background: transparent;"span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background: transparent;" "I cannot fucking believe that you of all people found me here, sobbing like a baby. E-especially since you have some kind of weird crush on me," Karkat said between sobs. Equius blushed, and was now full-on sweating. Karkat stood and walked down a few steps, but paused. Equius stood as well, intending to actually begin cleaning, and wanting to forget the embarrassment of being outed. But, confused, they paused as Karkat did. Karkat whirled around, throwing caution to the wind. He flew into Equius' half-outstretched arms, and let his tears flow free./span/p  
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>li dir="ltr" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background: transparent;"<br>p dir="ltr" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background: transparent;"span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background: transparent;" "As long as you're here, you might as well comfort me," he murmured. Equius, surprised, slowly circled their arms around Karkat rubbing small circles on his back. After a minute of standing together, with Equius wordlessly comforting Karkat, Karkat's crying had subsided enough to allow for soft conversation./span/p  
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>li dir="ltr" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background: transparent;"<br>p dir="ltr" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background: transparent;"span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background: transparent;" "Eridan told me to avoid you, he said you were a weirdo," Karkat admitted, "But he never said you were nice."/span/p  
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>li dir="ltr" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background: transparent;"<br>p dir="ltr" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background: transparent;"span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background: transparent;" "I rather am a weirdo, but thank you," Equius responded after a moment's consideration. "How did you come to realize I wished to get to know you better?"/span/p  
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>li dir="ltr" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background: transparent;"<br>p dir="ltr" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background: transparent;"span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background: transparent;" "I'm not a complete moron, I've seen you staring at me from across the movie theater," Karkat scowled.."The longing in your eyes was something straight out of a shitty romance novel." Karkat smirked a bit as he felt Equius stiffen slightly./span/p  
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>li dir="ltr" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background: transparent;"<br>p dir="ltr" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background: transparent;"span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background: transparent;" "How were you certain that I was not simply longing for ice cream? It is exquisite, perhaps you mistook my cravings for rich, cold goodness as romantic intent," Equius juxtaposed./span/p  
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>li dir="ltr" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background: transparent;"<br>p dir="ltr" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background: transparent;"span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background: transparent;" "Bullshit, if there's one thing I know, it's romance. Like right now, you comforting me? Pretty fucking romantic. Though it would be better if you weren't sweating so goddamn much," Karkat pointed out. "In fact, it's romantic enough to make me do this." Equius waited a moment for Karkat to do something, though what that thing was, they had no idea./span/p  
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>li dir="ltr" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background: transparent;"<br>p dir="ltr" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background: transparent;"span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background: transparent;" "Do what, exactly?" Equius asked when Karkat did nothing. After they asked, Karkat pulled away from them and, stretching up, kissed them chastely. They both blushed, almost comedically darkly./span/p  
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>li dir="ltr" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background: transparent;"<br>p dir="ltr" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background: transparent;"span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background: transparent;" "Oh," Equius muttered softly in understanding. They swiftly leaned down to kiss Karkat again, more deeply this time. After a few moments, Equius remembered what was supposed to be happening. They pulled back slightly./span/p  
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>li dir="ltr" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background: transparent;"<br>p dir="ltr" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background: transparent;"span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background: transparent;" "Karkat, I really must clean up in here," Equius murmured, regretful. Karkat grinned, and stepped back./span/p  
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>li dir="ltr" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background: transparent;"<br>p dir="ltr" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background: transparent;"span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background: transparent;" "Alright. Just know that sometime soon we are going to go on a proper date, and it's going to be fucking magical." Karkat promised as he backed away./span/p  
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>li dir="ltr" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background: transparent;"<br>p dir="ltr" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background: transparent;"span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background: transparent;" "That sounds excellent," Equius agreed, sweating. Karkat, noticing the sweat, rolled his eyes and smirked. As Karkat left, Equius sat on one of the velvet seats and tried to commit the entire incident to memory./span/p  
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